First computer build (Mid-High End Gaming)

[AaronAUron]

I've been doing so much research all over the internet about minute details so I can learn and understand what it I'm trying to accomplish.  Thus far I've come up with a few builds.  More recently after seeing a bunch of benchmarks it seems the CPU has little affect on gaming quality and that just adds on to my other concern about upgrading to something like the Z170 (is this going to be the "mandatory future" any time soon) or just sticking with a solid Z97...What I've come up with myself is listed below, but I'm sure you fine people can come up with something much more suited to what I want.

 

4790K http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2bkCGX

6700K http://pcpartpicker.com/p/hjRQXL

 

1. Budget & Location
My current budget is roughly $1500 (In US dollars) for the computer itself.  Willing to adjust the budget if the price to performance warrants it (I was looking at the GTX 980 being a nice upgrade from R9 390)

2. Aim
I am just your average gamer looking to immerse myself in the vast worlds and pay my respects to the developers by trying to play their games as intended (best graphical settings).  I do quite a bit of web browsing and tend to find myself opening anywhere from 5-15 tabs at a time (This is the main reason I thought an i7 over an i5 would fit me well).

3. Monitors
I just plan to use the one monitor for now and would like to get a 1080 or 1440 running 144Hz.  I do have another small (I think 19" monitor I might eventually hook up to it to keep other tabs up at the same time.)

4. Peripherals
I will be needing a monitor, as stated above.  A keyboard will be needed as well since I am coming from my laptop, but I already have a deathadder mouse.

5. Why are you upgrading?
Well my current rig is from 2010 running some archaic stuff.  I have the i7 Q740 and radeon 5800 in this bad boy.  While it has been loyal and served it's purpose, it just can't stand up to the standards I would like.

[X99stattrak]

[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WDTwNG) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/WDTwNG/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price

:----|:----|:----

**CPU** | [intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80646i54690k) | $226.99 @ SuperBiiz

**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rr212e20pkr2) | $24.88 @ OutletPC

**Motherboard** | [MSI Z97-GAMING 5 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-z97gaming5) | $144.99 @ Directron

**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-memory-cmy16gx3m2a1866c9r) | $69.99 @ Newegg

**Storage** | [OCZ ARC 100 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/ocz-internal-hard-drive-arc10025sat3240g) | $70.33 @ OutletPC

**Storage** | [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) | $48.88 @ OutletPC

**Video Card** | [Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvn98twf3oc6gd) | $659.99 @ Amazon

**Case** | [be quiet! Silent Base 800 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/be-quiet-case-bgw02) | $129.98 @ NCIX US

**Power Supply** | [EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/evga-power-supply-120g10650xr) | $64.99 @ NCIX US

**Optical Drive** | [Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-optical-drive-drw24b1stblkbas) | $15.99 @ Newegg

**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/microsoft-os-kw900140) | $87.95 @ OutletPC

| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |

| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $1584.96

| Mail-in rebates | -$40.00

| **Total** | **$1544.96**

| Generated by [PCPartPicker](http://pcpartpicker.com) 2016-01-25 20:55 EST-0500 |

[HKZeroFive]

The web browsing and "more tabs" is a RAM thing so I wouldn't look to getting an i7 if you're just solely gaming. Anyway, here's my take:

 

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

 

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($256.89 @ OutletPC) 

CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 51.4 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler  ($34.90 @ Newegg) 

Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($153.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory  ($89.99 @ SuperBiiz) 

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($84.34 @ Amazon) 

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($48.88 @ OutletPC) 

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card  ($619.99 @ Amazon) 

Case: be quiet! Silent Base 800 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case  ($129.98 @ NCIX US) 

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.99 @ Newegg) 

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer  ($15.99 @ Newegg) 

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit)  ($30.00 MicrosoftSoftwareSwap) 

Total: $1534.94

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-25 20:56 EST-0500

[X99stattrak]

The web browsing and "more tabs" is a RAM thing so I wouldn't look to getting an i7 if you're just solely gaming. Anyway, here's my take:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($256.89 @ OutletPC)

CPU Cooler: be quiet! PURE ROCK 51.4 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($34.90 @ Newegg)

Motherboard: Asus Z170-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($153.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury Black 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($89.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Storage: Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($84.34 @ Amazon)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($48.88 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB ACX 2.0+ Video Card ($619.99 @ Amazon)

Case: be quiet! Silent Base 800 w/Window (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($129.98 @ NCIX US)

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)

Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($15.99 @ Newegg)

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($30.00 MicrosoftSoftwareSwap)

Total: $1534.94

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-25 20:56 EST-0500

Get this with a EVGA FTW 980ti, or a custom pcb and you're golden.

[Streetguru]

I've been doing so much research all over the internet about minute details so I can learn and understand what it I'm trying to accomplish.  Thus far I've come up with a few builds.  More recently after

A nano I'd say is going to be better than a 980, it's faster overall, and you're going to save a lot of money on a free-sync display vs a g-sync display in the 1440p 144hz IPS category

G-sync version $759

https://pcpartpicker.com/part/acer-monitor-xb270hubprz

 

includes a 1440p 144hz IPS free-sync display, this isn't the older ASUS one that only went to 90hz

 

If you really want to push 144fps in some games it may be worth getting an unlocked CPU for overclocking, but I wouldn't spend the money on that the Xeon 1231v3 will be fine for most tasks

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mpnT8d

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mpnT8d/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($242.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: ASRock H97M PRO4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($79.89 @ OutletPC)

Memory: Corsair 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($78.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Sandisk Ultra II 480GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($133.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($48.88 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: PowerColor Radeon R9 Nano 4GB Video Card  ($479.99 @ Amazon)

Case: Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 MicroATX Mid Tower Case  ($29.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 620W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($64.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Monitor: Acer XF270HU 144Hz 27.0" Monitor  ($591.71 @ Amazon)

Total: $1751.42

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-25 21:29 EST-0500

[AaronAUron]

Another question I have about the build.  If I plan to overclock the CPU and GPU is it necessary to look into custom liquid loops or will a CPU cooler along with the custom coolers on the GPU's be fine?

[X99stattrak]

Another question I have about the build. If I plan to overclock the CPU and GPU is it necessary to look into custom liquid loops or will a CPU cooler along with the custom coolers on the GPU's be fine?

Air will be plenty